Alex Daniel Digi
Western Equatoria State Government and partners yesterday launched the construction of a Safe House for survivors of Gender-Based Violence across the State.
The construction of the building is projected to cost 50,000 USD under UN Quick Impact project is located at the State ministry of Gender and Social welfare.
The Project is implemented by Human Right Civil Society Organization HMCSO and supported by United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Speaking during the launch, the Governor of Western Equatoria State Gen. Alfred Futuyo Karaba urged the citizens to take responsibility of protecting themselves and avoid doing harmful things to others.
“Is a husband to tell the wife what to do at home better for the family, but here they expect everything from government, even dressing people forget, food also you will see someone will refuse to eat and only drink and sleep on the road, is it the government who told you drink? I want to tell you starting from myself, we are causing suffering for ourselves,” he said.
Governor Futuyo applauded the Ministry of Gender and Social Welfare for initiating the project. He called on the rest of the ministers of his cabinet to do the same so that they can be able to come back to the government through voting.
“The reason I said we are suffering is because we are the reason, my brother/sister, if you don’t do something that you are waiting for the next regime, during the campaign after the two years coming, if IO wants to say VIVA, should be VIVA I constructed safe House, if Oyee, should be Oyee I constructed the Ministry, this will allow you to win faster, but if Oyee/ Viva without something on the ground no one will vote for you, I am not opposing but sending a message, in this two years you must do something if you are a minister, don’t build in your stomach,” Futuyo challenged his cabinet.
The governor hopes that his government will do more development in this remaining two years of the transition.
UNMISS said as UN families they will continue to support the peace program and make sure human rights are observed across the country and that’s why they approved the construction of safe House to minimize all the forms of GBV.
Meanwhile on behalf of the implementing partner, HMCSO Executive Director Mr. Abel Dominic said they are committed to implement the project within the timeframe stipulated.
He called on the government to support the construction and make sure the communities benefit from it.
“Today we are here to launch the construction of safe house Hon. Governor because of the issues we have found our women and girls are facing.
“The objectives of this safe house are; 1. Create and establish a safe environment for protecting and mitigating gender based violence and protect survivors, 2. To strengthen and provide partners with protection and monitoring system, 3. To strengthen the capacity of the ministry of gender through capacity building for social workers and protection unit that is within the ministry of gender and finally, 4. Is to compliment the effort of protection for partners that are serving within Western Equatoria state to make sure our women and children are safe in the state” Abel explained.
There are 297 survivors of GBV comprising of 150 females and 147 males according to the statistic of last year for Yambio County particularly.